QUALITY ASSURANCE NOTICE: Nature’s Variety has announced a voluntary recall of one batch of Instinct® Raw Organic Chicken Formula with a “Best if Used By” date of 10/04/13. This action is being taken because pieces of clear plastic may be found in some bags and could cause a potential choking risk to pets. The source of plastic has been identified and the issue has been resolved.

The affected product is strictly limited to a single batch of Organic Chicken Formula with the “Best if Used By” date of 10/04/13. This includes:

The “Best if Used By” date is located on the back of the package below the “Contact Us” section. The affected product was distributed through retail stores and internet sales in the United States and Canada. No other products were impacted.

Nature’s Variety became aware of a potential issue after receiving a consumer complaint. The source of the issue was identified and resolved. To date, there have been no reports of harm to dogs or cats.

Reed Howlett, CEO of Nature’s Variety, stated, “At Nature’s Variety we take quality and safety very seriously. We believe that under all circumstances, the health and safety of pets comes first.”

Consumers feeding the affected product should discontinue use and monitor their pet’s health, and contact their veterinarian if they have concerns. Consumers who have purchased one of the above products can obtain a full refund or exchange by either returning the product in its original packaging or bringing a proof of purchase back to their retailer.

Consumers with additional questions can call the Nature’s Variety Consumer Relations team at 1.888.519.7387 Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST. Or, click here to email us directly.

Bathgate Elementary School in Mission Viejo hosted its second annual “All Abilities Day” Feb. 8, giving students the opportunity to get an idea of what it’s like to have disabilities.

Students visited stations that simulated various disabilities and met therapy dogs Jake and Macy.

Guest speakers talked to students about the importance of accepting others with disabilities.

Bathgate Elementary School students take turns petting Jake, led down the line by therapy animal handler and volunteer Joe Frey.

PHOTO: ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Pet therapy volunteer Daleen Comer walks Macy by a line of Bathgate Elementary students. Macy was rescued from Taiwan in October 20 1 0 and brought to the U.S. A year later, she became a therapy dog.

Accidental pet poisonings in 2012 increased 7% over the previous year, according to the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center, and human medications are often the culprit. Insurance claims for toxin exposure and ingestion submitted to PetPlan averaged $465 after deductibles were met. To prevent accidental pet poisonings, veterinarians recommend storing medications properly and taking them when pets aren’t around. “Assume anything a kid can get into, pets can get into,” said veterinarian Kevin Fitzgerald.The Wall Street Journal

Annie, the Berlin family’s three-year-old Cavachon, has always been alert to the possibility of dropped food, not least thanks to living with three kids under the age of 15.

So when Josh Berlin, 48, went to the kitchen to take two Tylenol for a headache last August, Annie was hot on his heels. Shaking out gel capsules from the bottle, Mr. Berlin accidentally dropped three from his hand to the floor.

“Before I could do anything, she had lapped one up,” he recalls. Knowing that Tylenol’s active ingredient, acetaminophen, is toxic to pets, the Berlins rushed Annie from their Beverly Hills, Calif., home to their local veterinarian, who referred her to a nearby animal hospital. There she received an intravenous neutralizing agent and was kept overnight for observation.

Cases of accidental pet poisonings are on the rise. A new study from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reports that its Animal Poison Control Center, based in Urbana, Ill., handled more than 180,000 calls about poisonous substances in 2012, up 7% from the previous year. The problem might be bigger than those numbers suggest, since many pet owners—like the Berlins—head straight to the vet instead of calling a hotline, says the center’s medical director, Tina Wismer.

When Siamese cat Lilly of Doylestown, Pa., began vomiting blood, her vet suspected she accidentally swallowed her owner’s blood-thinning medication.

Human medications and supplements are some of the most common toxins ingested by pets. Prescription medicines for humans have accounted for the majority of the ASPCA center’s calls for the past five years, with a 2% increase last year to more than 25,200 calls. Over-the-counter medications and supplements ranked third, up 2.8% to nearly 18,500 calls, after insecticides. Veterinary medications came in fourth, up 5.2% to nearly 10,700 calls.

Based on the ASPCA’s center’s statistics, the fatality rate from accidental poisonings appears to be low, at 0.2% of cases. Dr. Wismer says the center isn’t able to determine the outcome of each call, so that rate could be higher.

Follow-up figures suggest that insecticides and rodenticides are the deadliest household items for pets. But common medicines for humans can also prove lethal, depending on the pet’s weight, the amount consumed and the strength of the toxin. “One acetaminophen will kill a cat,” says Kevin T. Fitzgerald, a veterinarian with VCA Alameda East Veterinary Hospital in Denver.

Symptoms vary by toxin. An amphetamine such as Adderall, used in humans to treat narcolepsy and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, triggers seizures in both dogs and cats. An anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen might result in stomach ulcers or kidney failure, says Jules Benson, vice president of veterinary services for pet insurer Petplan.

Pets’ tastes tend to follow prescription and health trends. In 2012, calls about prescription pain medications jumped 63%; antidepressants 47.5%. “More and more people are on these drugs, and dogs find them on the nightstand,” says Dr. Fitzgerald. And it isn’t always the medication they want in the first place: Prescription bottles can make an attractive chew toy for a bored pet.

Shakespear, a Basset Hound in Charlotte, N.C., overdosed on pain pills intended for another dog.

There is some evidence, too, that medications have gotten more tempting in recent years. Supplements for joints are often made of beef cartilage or shellfish, and more manufacturers are using gelatin-based soft gels or capsules, says Tod Cooperman, president of ConsumerLab.com, a website that evaluates supplements. A dog’s sweet tooth makes sweetened or flavored human meds attractive. “Our pets have such good noses that even though the bottle is closed, they can smell the stuff,” says Bernadine Cruz, a veterinarian with the Laguna Hills Animal Hospital in Laguna Woods, Calif.

Dogs are more susceptible to accidental poisoning than cats. Labrador Retrievers got into the most trouble last year, accounting for nearly 14,000 calls to the APCC. “Dogs experience the whole world by tasting it,” says Dr. Fitzgerald. “Cats are a little more picky.”

But not immune. Although more than half of the APCC’s 10,000 cat cases in 2012 involved exposure to insecticides and toxic cleaners that cats walked across and then ingested while grooming, there are certain medications—notably, the antidepressant Effexor—that cats will willingly consume, says Dr. Wismer.

Sarah Rothmann, of Charlotte, N.C., suspects that superior sense of smell was what prompted her 10-year-old Basset Hound Shakespear to “counter surf” last August, standing up on his hind legs to paw a bottle of veterinary pain pills off the kitchen island. The intended patient, Woody, another of her six rescued Bassets, was supposed to take half of a chewable, flavored tablet every 12 hours. Shakespear chowed down on eight full tablets in one sitting.

It was the first time Shakespear had surfed for something that wasn’t clearly food. “We have stuff up there on the counter all the time, including medications, and he’s never touched it,” says Ms. Rothmann, 42. After a call to the APCC, Shakespear got a daily dose for a week of human-heartburn medicine Pepcid to prevent stomach irritation from the overdose.

Pet poisonings can be costly. The APCC typically charges $65 for consultations. In 2012, Petplan’s average insurance claim for vet visits associated with accidental poisoning was $465, after a deductible of $50 to $200. Dr. Benson says the company has seen claims as high as $10,000 in more severe cases. And while insurance covers accidents including poisoning, some insurers might not cover a pet that has a track record of eating unsuitable items.

When it’s time to decide what vaccines are necessary for horses, veterinarian Jennifer Coates revisits the American Association of Equine Practitioners guidelines for core and risk-based vaccines. The core vaccines are necessary for every horse, while the risk-based vaccines are recommended for some horses under certain circumstances. Factors including age, sex and geographical location influence risk, Dr. Coates writes. PetMD.com/Fully Vetted blog

I’ve moved my horse Atticus to another barn … again. I added it up. In the last six years, he’s moved six times – poor guy. I have to admit my sympathy is a bit tempered by the fact that this last change was precipitated by his bone-headed behavior towards another horse at his last facility. I was relieved to see that when I introduced him to his new herd mates, a couple of them immediately made it clear they, and not he, were in charge. Despite what his recent behavior might imply, he is actually happier not being at the top of the herd’s pecking order, so it looks like this should work out. Fingers crossed.

As part of this move, I had to dig out his vaccination records to make sure he was up-to-date on everything. This made me realize that as much as I’ve talked about vaccination protocols for dogs and cats in this blog, I’ve never done the same for horses. My bad. Let me use Atticus in an example of how veterinarians determine which vaccines an individual horse should get.
The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) divides equine vaccines into “core” — those that the majority of horses should get, and “risk based” — those that should be given after a risk-benefit analysis is performed. The AAEP’s guidelines list the following as core vaccines for horses:

Tetanus

Eastern and Western Equine Encephalomyelitis

West Nile Virus

Rabies

Atticus got all of those last year. Check.
According to the AAEP, the risk based vaccines for horses are

Anthrax

Botulism

Equine Herpesvirus (Rhinopneumonitis)

Equine Viral Arteritis

Equine Influenza

Potomac Horse Fever

Rotaviral Diarrhea

Snake Bite

Strangles

Atticus’s primary risk factor is exposure to a large number of horses as he and other horses that he has contact with move in and out of boarding facilities, show grounds, etc. Therefore, I also gave him boosters for equine herpesvirus, influenza, and strangles last year. Looking over the rest of the list, I can discount the majority based on his age and lifestyle. He does not need to be vaccinated against rotavirus (he’s not a foal or pregnant mare), Potomac Horse Fever (we don’t see much of it around here, and the vaccine has questionable efficacy), equine viral arteritis (he’s not going to be bred), or anthrax (he’s not pastured in an endemic area).
I’d consider the snake bite vaccine if we did more trail riding in the foothills near us (home to the western diamondback rattlesnake), but those outings are exceedingly rare so we’ll pass on that. The one vaccine I haven’t given Atticus in the past that I now need to consider is botulism. At his new barn, the horses on pasture are sometimes fed from large round bales of hay. This increases his risk for botulism because Clostridium botulinum bacteria can produce their deadly toxin in spoiling hay or dead critters trapped inside bales.

This exercise is a good reminder as to why an animal’s vaccination protocol needs to be reassessed on a regular basis. Things change. Last week botulism wasn’t on my radar screen; now it is.

The AHF welcomes new AHF Board of Trustees member, Jennifer Dentino. Jennifer has worked in the insurance industry for 20 years and enjoys training dogs and spending time with her animals. She and her husband and their dogs live in Orange County, CA.

Veterinarian Karen Dye explains two canine intestinal disorders: hemorrhagic gastroenteritis and inflammatory bowel disease. The symptoms of intestinal disease are nonspecific, but characteristics such as breed, as well as blood tests of metrics such as packed cell volume, help the veterinarian pinpoint the cause, Dr. Dye writes. The recommended treatment varies depending on the diagnosis but usually includes fluids, medications and dietary changes. The Culpeper Star-Exponent (Va.)

Ask Dr. Dye – Dr. Karen Dye The Daily Progress

Q: What is HGE?

Hemorrhagic Gastroenteritis (or HGE) is a serious and potentially fatal disease of the intestinal tract. The cause is unknown, and this condition occurs most commonly in smaller breed dogs, although it can arise in any breed. The onset of bloody diarrhea is quick and dehydration occurs rapidly. Vomiting also commonly occurs. If not treated promptly, the dog may go into shock.

No specific tests are available to diagnose HGE, however, a packed cell volume (PCV) being elevated along with clinical signs and physical exam lead to a diagnosis. A normal PCV for a healthy dog would be 37-55%, meaning 37-55% of the blood volume should be red blood cells (the rest being fluid and white blood cells). When a patient becomes very dehydrated, there is less fluid in the blood stream, and the result is a rising percentage of red blood cells. A dog with HGE will have a PCV greater than 60%. Measurement of total protein is often done with a PCV.

Dogs with HGE will have a lower than normal total protein.

During an episode of hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, the intestinal lining and intestinal blood vessels become permeable to fluid. Fluid and associated proteins leak out of the blood vessels and into the intestine. The blood cells are too large and stay behind. It is in this way that fluid is lost into the intestine, causing diarrhea and dehydration. The PCV rises and the total protein decreases.

Treatment involves hospitalization and appropriate intravenous fluid therapy. Symptoms such as vomiting and nausea can be controlled with medications by injection since the patient should not receive anything by mouth for at least one day. A bland diet can be added slowly while continuing fluid support. Aggressive fluid therapy will decrease the PCV into a normal range and prevent the patient from going into shock. Often antibiotics are indicated as well. It is usual for the patient to be hospitalized for several days receiving IV fluid support.

It is not contagious or genetic, and we still need further research into the cause as it remains unknown. Sometimes, stress or hyperactivity precedes the onset of disease.

Q: What is IBD?Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a complex set of diseases all grouped together as IBD. There are different types of inflammatory bowel disease and the only way to definitively diagnose it is via intestinal biopsy and histopathology. Therefore, IBD is a disease that can be difficult to diagnose since many other causes of diarrhea present similarly to IBD. Inflammatory bowel diseases are the most common cause of long-term vomiting and diarrhea in dogs and cats. The cause of IBD is not completely understood. The gastrointestinal tract becomes invaded by inflammatory cells, including lymphocytes, plasma cells, eosinophils, macrophages, and/or neutrophils. These infiltrates cause damage to the mucosal lining of the intestines, causing diarrhea and/or vomiting. It is believed that with IBD, the immune system reacts abnormally to normal bacteria in the intestines.

Diagnosis is based on clinical signs (chronic diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss) in addition to the exclusion of other diseases causing similar symptoms. Other diseases include metabolic disease, infectious disease, obstructive disorders and neoplasia. To confirm the diagnosis of IBD, biopsies must show histological evidence of cellular infiltrates and changes to the intestinal architecture.

Dietary treatment is of utmost importance. Up to 60% of dogs and cats with IBD will benefit from a special diet prescribed by your veterinarian. Sometimes antimicrobial therapy is necessary as well as a novel diet. Immunosuppressive drugs such as prednisone or cyclosporine are reserved for cases that fail to respond to nutritional and antimicrobial therapy.

There is no cure for inflammatory bowel disease. It is a disease that is controlled and relapses are possible. Dietary compliance is important.

Dr. Dye practices at Clevengers Corner Veterinary Care and can be reached at 540-428-1000 or through ClevengersCorner.com.

This is American Heart Month, and dogs and cats don’t want to be left out, writes veterinarian Ann Hohenhaus, who discusses a canine cardiac patient. A dachshund named Chad suffers from a rare heart wall tumor, leaky valves and heart failure. Dr. Hohenhaus suggests owners get any coughing dog evaluated by a veterinarian. Chad is doing well on his veterinarian-directed treatment.WebMD/Tales from the Pet Clinic blog

This year, we have a spokes-dog who does not want to be outdone by last year’s spokes-cat. This dog has not one, but two types of heart problems at the same time!

An accidental tumor

Chad is a rescued, older male dachshund. After he found a forever home, he needed some dental work. Because his regular veterinarian heard a heart murmur, an echocardiogram was ordered as part of the pre-dental evaluation. Echocardiograms evaluate the heart noninvasively using sound waves. The test showed Chad’s heart murmur was due to leaky valves. Leaky valves are the most common cause of a heart murmur in a dog.

In Chad’s case, the test surprisingly found a tumor near the base of the heart and he came to The Animal Medical Center in March of 2012 for further evaluation.

Magnetic resonance imaging

Heart tumors are quite uncommon; one study showed heart tumors occur in less than 0.2% of all dogs. The two most common types are often hard to distinguish using an echocardiogram. To image the heart, we use a special type of MRI. The MRI showed the tumor was located in the heart wall and could not be removed surgically. We started chemotherapy and between treatments, when he was feeling well, his teeth were cleaned. Chemotherapy finished in November 2012 and an echocardiogram showed the tumor was smaller.

Heart problem number two

In January 2013, Chad’s leaky valves worsened causing heart failure, a buildup of fluid in his lungs. The AMC’s Emergency Service treated him with diuretics (water pills), oxygen and other medications to decrease the fluid in his lungs. The Cardiology Service prescribed medications to keep his broken heart working and the fluid from building up again in his lungs. After two days in the ICU, his heart was ticking well and he went home to his anxiously waiting family.

Some nine years ago, Betty Arevalo and her husband went to the animal shelter near her Rowland Heights home. They wanted to take home a small dog that their grandchildren could love.

They found half that. Skip was a beautiful black and white puppy. “I told the people there that we wanted a small dog. They said Skip was going to be like 25 or 30 pounds. But he outgrew that in no time. He had the biggest tail and the biggest ears. He was really cute and he really loved the grandchildren.”

But Skip was not going to be a small dog. After passing 30 pounds, he kept on growing until he reached 135 pounds. (Betty calls him a “St. Bernard-shepherd.”) But he was great with the grandchildren – and the neighbors and anyone else who came around. Skip looked like a horse, Betty said, and some of the neighbors refer to him as “the cow” because of his black and white spots.

In the summer of 2011, Betty noticed that Skip was bleeding from a toe on one of his feet. She thought he had cut himself as he dashed around the yard chasing grandchildren or squirrels and she dabbed peroxide on the wound to clean it. But it wouldn’t stop bleeding so she took Skip to Macy & Thomas Veterinary Hospital in nearby Whittier.

Dr. Sean Kay examined the foot and told the Arevalos that Skip had cancer and needed surgery to amputate the cancerous toe. Reynaldo Arevalo is a retired worker for the City of Los Angeles. He has emphysema. Betty had worked on and off and also is retired.

“We didn’t know how we were going to afford this. We were looking for help because it was going to be so much money,” Betty said. There was help – from an Angel Fund grant and from the hospital, which discounted the bill.

“They really helped us out a lot. We only had to pay a third or something like that.

Dr. Kay was a very good doctor. He really took good care of Skip. The people at the hospital were wonderful – just wonderful.”

Today, Skip is having problems with his hind legs. He has arthritis and is taking medication. He cannot chase the grandchildren around the yard now but he loves their visits – and they love him as much as they ever did.

If owners take their pet along for a car ride, experts recommend properly restraining pets and purchasing veterinary medical insurance for animals who may be injured in a car accident. Some 56% of dog owners in an AAA survey reported they brought their dog in the car at least monthly within the previous year. Many automobile insurance companies offer coverage for pets injured in vehicles, but prices and coverage vary, so owners should do their homework, experts say. Fox Business/CarInsurance.com (1/31)

Americans shared their homes with 377.4 million animals in 2011, according to the American Pet Products Association survey.

Cats were the most popular pet, at 86.4 million, and dogs came in a close second with 78.2 million.

But while a car ride with a cat is an exercise in tension, a dog goes along for the fun of it. A recent AAA survey found that 56% of dog owners had driven with companions at least once a month over the past year.

Unfortunately, most people are driving dangerously when Fido is riding shotgun. 65% admitted engaging in distracting activities such as petting their dog (52%) and using their hands to restrict the dog’s movement when braking (23%).

Despite knowing better — 83% agree that driving with an unrestrained dog is dangerous — only 16% use a restraining device.

The danger of an unrestrained pet is very real. According to Jennifer Huebner-Davidson, AAA National Traffic Safety program manager, an unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph will exert roughly 500 pounds of force, while an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert approximately 2,400 pounds of force.

Adam Fell of Veterinary Pet Insurance says the most common types of injuries suffered by pets in car accidents are bruises and lacerations, chest and head trauma, major wounds, fractures and ruptured organs. All of these require extensive — and expensive — medical care.

So is my pet covered?

If the accident was your fault, your vet bills are your own problem, says Penny Gusner, consumer analyst at CarInsurance.com. A pet is considered personal property, and collision and comprehensive typically cover damage only to the vehicle.

On the other hand, if the other driver was at fault, you can make a claim against their property damage liability coverage. The bills for your car and the bills for your pet would come out of the same pot of money, so if the at-fault driver’s limits aren’t high enough to pay everything, you would still be on the hook.

Fortunately, a number of car insurers value your pet like a member of the family and include some coverage on their collision policies.

Progressive was the first insurer to add pet coverage back in 2007. Other insurers have jumped on the bandwagon, but availability varies by insurer and by state.

Here is a quick rundown of the major insurers that will cover your pet in an accident:

AAA Insurance – Dogs and cats only. This is not a national program so check with your local club. $500 injury or burial.

Auto-Owners – Coverage is for cats and dogs only. $750 for injury or burial per animal or $1,500 per incident.

Erie – Coverage is for dogs and cats only. Up to two pets per claim. $500 each for medical care or $1,000 per loss.

Progressive – Coverage is for dogs and cats only. $1000 per loss for medical care or burial. Coverage also extends to boats and RVs. Dogs and cats of relatives that live with you are protected as well.

Chubb – Coverage extends coverage to all pets except animals used to generate income such as racing dogs or horses. $2,000 for injury or death.

Safeco – Coverage is for dogs and cats only. $500 for injury or death.

“The difference in rates between companies can be hundreds or even thousands of dollars,” Gusner says. “You might be able to buy separate pet insurance with the savings and have money left over.”

According to Dr. Jules Benson of Petplan Pet Insurance, pet insurance covers treatment for all accidental injuries including those sustained in car accidents, as well as illnesses.

Costs vary by pet age and size and the deductible you choose; $8,000 in coverage for an 8-year-old Lab would run about $42 a month.

Keeping your best friend safe

The best way to keep your pet safe is to use a harness or crate when rolling with your pet. Experts recommend crating dogs or cats and putting them in the rear cargo area. In smaller cars, buckling them up in the backseat using a harness is the safest way to travel.

Harnesses are widely available and are priced from $15 and up depending on the pet size.

Dog trainer and pet expert Amy Robinson offers a few do’s and don’ts for keeping your pet safe while in the car:

Do:

Measure your dog for a cushioned, well-fitted car harness.

Use treats to entice the dog to put his head through the harness.

Go on a short walk wearing the harness to let him get used it.

Use a crate as an alternative, but secure it in the car.

Don’t:

Feed your dog a big meal just before departing.

Put a dog unrestrained in the front seat, air bags can injury pets.

Allow the dog to sit on your lap. This can be a huge distraction.

Tie your dog down using his leash and collar.

Roll the window all the way down. This is an accident waiting to happen.